The Wishing Moon Prayer . . .

Writing is a pleasure for me. Most of the time I have so much rolling around in my head that its hard to stay focused. Writing helps me focus.

I’m a very private person . . . and to me, my conversations with God are between me and my Creator. Since I began writing out my prayers . . . I have found that I can more easily express what my heart has to say . . . and I can remember the conversation.

But tonight . . . I’m sharing my wishing moon prayer . . . I don’t know why . . . but I have a strong feeling I’m suppose to.

October 13, 2012

Dear Lord ,

I thank you for this day and for helping for me accomplish all that I have done to release me from my old life, in preparation for my future.  Guided by your love, I know that what is ahead of me is far greater than that which I am leaving behind. Open my heart and guide me with your wisdom . . . so that I may share all that you’ve shown me of your creation and how deeply important all of it is to the happiness of all mankind. Help me to understand more fully my connection to our mother Earth . . . from which you formed each and every being that dwells upon it.  On this night, one of my wishes is that I will be able to touch the lives of others with your ancient wisdom  and their hearts will be open to the spiritual force you have imbued within every thing.  Help me also to remember this and understand more fully.  As new people enter my life, I wish for you to bless them with your love and guide me to do the same.  Open my heart to those who oppose me  . . . so that perhaps their hearts may open to your love.  Help me to respect the many different ways others come to you.  Bless too, my family. Watch over them and keep them safe from harm.  Bless them with an abundance of love, good health and good fortune.  Not knowing what the future will bring . . . I wish for your guidance in knowing what to do to sustain myself while living on mother earth . . . work that will have meaning, for myself and others.   I am so grateful for all that you’ve given me and for the wisdom you’ve shown me.  Thank you too for watching over me and keeping me safe from harm. May your love guide me all the days of my life.

Amen

Inspiration . . . .

Sometimes I miss them.

But tonight was the perfect night for lighting my little outdoor fire pit, and think about my future.  As I’m finishing packing for my move back home to North Carolina, tonight turned out to be a lovely opportunity to get inspired thinking of all the possibilities I have available for my new beginning.

As fate would have it, I was unable to photograph the event due to my camera lens locking up . . . a problem I did eventually find a solution for.  Not wanting to spoil the mood of my Gate of Inspiration meditation, my instincts told me to just enjoy the fire and think . . . and make a wish or two for the future.  Being able to talk with God . . . the Universe’s Life Force . . . can be a wondrous thing . . .

Along the way on my spiritual journey, I learned of a special time of  year  when the universe gives us a little window of time . . . an opening . . . a gate on which to meditate on what inspires us.  Found on Steve Nelson’s website Gaia Astrology ,  I’ve come to enjoy reading his moon magic section.  On the topic of the Gate of Inspiration . . . he has this to say:

Gate of Inspiration, Oct 12-13 (6:40 pm – 6:40 pm) – Dance and Be Free

“A Muse Gate opens every 40 days, 9 each year. The witch queen Cerridwen stirs her caldron for a year and day to brew the “greal” of  Inspiration. Nine maidens alternate their breaths to keep the magic fire burning, each maiden is a Muse. Whatever is blocking energy flow comes before the Gate to be let go. This is a time to release body tensions that hold old ways of thinking and feeling. Breathe deeply and move freely (dance!) to shed the old and open to the special magic of this new time.”

Also being the time of a wishing moon, it felt like the most perfect time to think of and wish for what’s possible ahead of me while asking for help in letting go of the many fears and self-doubts I have.

As I connect more and more to the energies of mother earth . . . the more strengthened I am . . . even though my once lovely garden is now overgrown with weeds . . . it welcomed me on this, one of my final evenings here at my home of the past 14 years.   The frogs . . . who have been silent now for many weeks . . . began croaking again . . . earlier, before sunset . . . several birds had gathered on the wire overlooking the garden . . . a lovely amber-colored butterfly  flew out of the flowers while some of the birds sang . . . yes, this would be a perfect night for expressing my appreciation for teaching me so much during the past three years while encouraging me to continue, at my new home.

Preparing my fire pit for an evening’s festivity is one of my favorite things to do.  I still have some small branches from last year’s Yule tree . . . I savor them during my fires at special times throughout the year. Many other dried herbs and flowers that I’ve saved go into it as special offerings of thanks for the beauty they brought into my life as well as to draw more positive or release negative energies of one variety or another.   I have an old stool without a seat, that I use to set the pit on while I load it with these garden treasures . . . and it is quite beautiful to me, even unlit.

It always amazes me how the wind responds to me in the garden.  I’ve had times when I thought surely it would be too windy for a fire . . . and then, the moment I step into  the circle . . . and light the fire, it calms.  Even more wondrous is when, after asking a question . . . a short gust will blow, as if answering my request.

Magical moments.  Spiritual moments.

While there is not much I will miss here in Florida . . . losing my garden is my greatest sorrow.  I’ve spent many magical moments there . . . and I want to carry those lovely memories with me to my next.

Having many very long branches from trees I pruned early in the spring, now dry enough to burn . . . I placed them around the pit . . . letting the tips burn . . . then pushing it into the fire to keep it going.  Just before coming in for the night . . . I took them out and let the tips cool. I’ll use them again tomorrow and will bring the ends with me for the fire I’ll prepare to dedicate the space for the new garden I will soon be working on . . .

Inspired by the hope of a brighter tomorrow . . . the fire blazed strong and clear.  A good sign.

Leaving behind the troubles of the past . . . and heading toward a new uncharted future is both exciting and terrifying.  On this night, however . . . I am comforted in knowing that this end, while not how I imagined it would be . . . was an answer to my many prayers.

I am grateful.

This New Moon . . .

I guess being a moon child, born into the sign of Cancer, makes me more sensitive to its phases.

I find that I am inspired by the moon. I sometimes don’t understand why others aren’t. Especially other women.

If it is true “there are no coincidences”, then the fact that a woman’s cycle follows that of the moon was, perhaps,  in some sort of divine plan.

Crescent New Moon April 23 2012

I like believing that.

Perhaps that’s why I find the moon the perfect focus point for meditation, prayer, whatever . . .

I must say I’m having a lovely moment on my journey.

I hope you are too.

Blessings,

Judy

. . . a gathering of seekers . . .

In the process of creating a series of self-discovery classes, I started writing this as a sort of spiritual bio. Planning to use this blog as an online gathering spot for upcoming classes and events . . . I decided to share it with everyone.

May you all be blessed with Spirit’s love and protection. Now and always.

Judy

The Abstract Spirit . . . a gathering of seekers

Though I was raised in an alternative Christian religion, I do not belong – officially – to any. Meaning,  I never made a decision to be baptized.

While all around me, kids about the age of 12 made that commitment . . . I just wasn’t ready.  Some scriptures that impressed me as a child were “seek and you shall find” [truth] . . . and “you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free”.

At one point along my journey, I also studied Judaism with the intent of converting. I must say this, I learned more about how to follow Jesus doing so. Can you really be a follower of Jesus if you don’t fully understand Judaism, in a personal way?

My view of religion, then as well as well as now, is that is does not set you free.  Organized religion is too often distant from spirituality . . . and if you don’t “toe the line” of their interpretation of God’s rules and regulations . . . then, well . . . you probably know the rest.

While scripture says: “do not judge, lest ye be judged”, because of the each religion’s interpretation of scripture . . . judgment occurs on a regular basis. It’s built into their script to be judgmental of others who do not believe as you do, or make religious “mistakes”.

I saw at an early age the hypocrisy of religious ideals and practice.

These words of scripture had a most profound effect upon me.  How could I actually know what truth is if I didn’t look at all the ways people all over the world claim to have found it?  Blindly accepting a religion because it is a family belief is not seeking at all.  If you hold dear the words of scripture, then it is a call to examine, or seek out, all possible roads to truth.

Religion is the middleman . . . the wolf in sheep’s clothing.  In my opinion, it’s like trying to find a short-cut to God; if I do this and don’t do that I’m OK . . . I’ll be saved.

But when you pray, you are in direct contact with our Creator.  It’s just the 2 of you.  You ask and you will receive according to your faith. Having absolute faith is belief without question. No Doubt. And there are many, many people who have this kind of faith . . . this one faith . . .  all over the world, in every religion.

Our world today is permeated with fear. Yet scripture says, “Fear not, I am always with you.”  Fear is a sign of disbelief in the Creator as protector.  Religion spews plenty of things to be fearful about.

So, it seems – to me – that cultivating faith in your instincts and personal beliefs as well as your Creator is more important than having it towards a religion.

Spiritually broadens this relationship.  Having a conversation with God, The Creator, is a wonderful thing.  Creative Spirit is a very good listener. Finding ways to foster this relationship is what The Abstract Spirit is all about.

I do not believe that our Creative Source chose one group of people out of all creation to bestow the bounty of life on.  That would be like a parent having to choose only one child, and discard the rest.  I don’t know about you, but I could never do that. I love my children. Even though they are very different from one another, I love them and desire the very best for all of them.  I believe our Creator sees us as his/her children and is connected to all mankind.  Touching the lives of every culture throughout history who have interpreted  and honors this connection in their own unique way.

We have much to learn.